


Perfect Working Order

by Sourastherain



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-08
Updated: 2013-09-18
Packaged: 2017-12-25 23:25:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 7,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/958846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sourastherain/pseuds/Sourastherain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short Scirk ficlets.  These are written for Ruth, who is an enabler of the best kind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Worn

“Come on, I know you have one,” Jim says with a sly grin. The damn bastard is leaning back on his elbows, chest bare, pants open and straining against his obvious erection. Scotty sits back over Jim’s thighs, aborting his motion to free himself of his own uniform shirt. 

“So if I do?” he asks.

Jim doesn’t lose his grin but he does sit up, clearly not intending to derail their current activity with his request. His fingers deftly slip under Scotty’s uniform tunic and push the fabric up. He strains up for a quick and sweet kiss. It’s one of the unexpected things about Jim Kirk, just how almost innocent he can be in his seduction. Scotty smiles lop-sidedly, because even if it surprised him, it’s so characteristically Jim, nothing but genuine.

“So put it on for me,” Jim murmurs, lips to lips still. Scotty can feel and taste the words.

“What, now?” he teases, with a dramatic eye roll. “Thought the goal was to shed some clothing, captain.”

“Tomorrow, day after, surprise me,” Jim replies. He bumps Scotty’s nose with his own. His fingers press firmly against Scotty’s sides. 

Scotty agrees, so they can get on with it.

\----

And then he honestly forgets for a while. It’s easy to forget promises he makes before sex, the unfortunate truth. He’s puttering around his quarters after shift, looking for a bottle of Scotch to take to the captain’s room, when he disturbs the carefully rolled bundle at the bottom of his closet. The captain is lucky that he brought it with him, that he didn’t figure he’d never get the chance to wear it out on a five year mission. Scotty guesses it’s a testament to the Enterprise being home and pulls out his kilt.

There are a lot of components to a proper Scottish kilt as well. He hasn’t put it on for years, actually, but it’s something he’s practiced. He wraps the thick, pleated wool around his waist in front of the mirror and fusses with it a little. He is out to impress a certain devil of a captain. When it’s hanging right, belt in place, he puts on the sporran too. 

He throws his shoulders back in the mirror, like a right proud Scotsman, and smoothes his hands down his front, glad he threw on a dress shirt instead of his red engineering tunic. Maybe it’s a little silly, a little bit like he’s getting dolled up for a date, but Jim asked and damn it, it’s hard to say no to the captain. Scotty doesn’t like doing it unless he has to.

“You know you don’t have to use the bell...” Jim says when he answers the door, but as his eyes dip down, he trails off. Those blue eyes spark with amusement. 

“I know,” is all Scotty replies.

Jim sweeps his arm back in invitation and steps back from the door. As soon as it closes behind Scotty, the captain is plastered to his back, pressing his lips against the back of his neck. Jim Kirk sticks to people like glue and it’s no wonder how when he wraps his arms around Scotty. Who would want to escape from the warmth that he puts out?

“So hot,” Jim whispers and mouths under Scotty’s ear. “You’re so hot, Scotty.”

“You’re a legs man then, are ya?” Scotty teases. He turns his head to catch Jim’s lips with his own, over his shoulder a little awkwardly. The captain bites Scotty’s bottom lip, practically humming with arousal. He’s always enthusiastic, but he’s edging on frantic already.

“I’m a Scotty man,” Jim retorts when they pull apart. “So, is it true? There’s nothing worn under it?”

“Oh, you should know, lad,” Scotty quips, grinning as he turns to face his lover. “There’s nothing worn under this kilt. Everything’s in perfect working order.”


	2. Making Up For It

The first time Scotty sees Jim, he’s a little too incensed to think just how beautiful James T. Kirk is. He definitely has a right to be distracted, given just how much he wants real food and how he’s not sure he’ll ever be warm again, but later he thinks that’s no excuse. Jim Kirk exists to be admired, what with those plush lips and bright blue eyes, that tall, lean frame, long legs, toned arms. Scotty makes up for not noticing right away.

Firstly, he owes the captain a huge solid for getting him off Delta Vega. A little companionable drinking off duty never hurt a man--well, it’s never hurt Scotty before, he makes his mistakes while sober, thanks--so when he confirms that Jim Kirk won’t turn him down for showing up after hours with a bottle of scotch, Scotty is right there at his door. 

It follows that the first thing he’s drawn to are Kirk’s hands, grabbing a pair of glasses and pouring them both a good helping of the fine single malt. They’re graceful and adept and Scotty might swallow his liquor a mite quickly after Kirk hands him his drink and their fingers actually brush. 

It’s a treacherous spiral downward after that. Kirk is talking to him about their lovely silver lady and suddenly Scotty’s noticing those lips wrapping around each word like sin. They can talk engineering to him any day, any time. Kirk gets his hands dirty, slides under a fixture to adjust some wires and Scotty’s noticing how his shirt rides up just right over his stomach revealing pale flesh. Kirk slings an arm over Scotty’s shoulders and slaps him on the back and he smells like coffee and cologne. Kirk tensely runs a hand through his hair, not nervous, oh no, not Captain Kirk, but considering his options, and those golden strands hold up nicely, looking soft and only slightly, perfectly mussed.

Kirk laughs and Scotty’s noticing that he wants to hear that laugh all the time, wants to cause it, all the time. 

He can’t let it distract him from his work, so he just files away these little things he adores about his captain, always pleasantly surprised by the man, but never more so than when Jim Kirk kisses him in engineering. It’s late and they shouldn’t be working, aren’t actually working but talking about working on the engine. Their mutual admiration for their ship brings them together. One minute, Scotty is trying to ignore Kirk’s gesticulating (attractive) hand over the PADD and the next, he’s turning his face to the captain’s to agree.

Kirk puts the PADD down and cups Scotty’s cheeks with both hands, sealing their lips together. 

“I’ve wanted to do that since Delta Vega,” Kirk tells him, looking a little shy. Scotty reminds himself not to gape, even if he is surprised. 

“Since when?”

“Ah, since, you know,” Kirk says, making a sweeping and nondescript motion with his hand. “We met. Sorry.”

“Trust you, captain, in the middle of a crisis,” Scotty chuckles. Kirk must think he’s made a mistake because he’s blushing, so Scotty doesn’t dwell on the implication. He pulls the captain’s hand into his and kisses Kirk back, because maybe he didn’t notice right away, but he’s going to more than make up for it.


	3. Looking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It doesn't hurt to look.

Jim doesn't hear what the ensign says, but he looks up from the PADD in his hands as Scotty's usually confident voice catches on his words. Whatever it is, the chief engineer is blushing, Jim can see it spreading up the back of his pale neck. His eyes dart down and is Scotty checking out her legs? He drops his feet off Scotty’s desk but before he can stand up, the ensign is walking away from the office door.

“What’s that about?” Jim asks curiously.

“Sorry?” Scotty replies. He’s playing dumb, Jim can tell, so he does get to his feet and meet Scotty halfway, pressing a happy kiss to his lips. If it’s a little possessive, no one would hold it against him. 

“Nice legs,” Jim comments when they pull apart, lop-sided smile crossing his lips.

Scotty huffs. “Oh,” he says sarcastically, “That.”

Jim chuckles and drops kisses down over Scotty’s jaw, but he’s stopped by a hand in his hair, guiding his lips back to Scotty’s for another kiss, this one deeper and with a hint of filthiness to it that makes Jim groan.

“It doesn't hurt to look," he says, Scotty's hand still in his hair but not insistent anymore. Those fingers card through it nicely. For a moment it looks like he's going to reply, but he just gives himself a little shake and kisses Jim, because that's a better use for his mouth right now after a long day.


	4. Not Knowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scotty dates and Jim pines.

“Ah, sorry, Jim, I’ve got plans,” Scotty says, apologetic. “I’m taking a young woman for dinner, you understand.”

Jim’s a good liar, but sometimes he wishes he wasn’t. He claps Scotty on the back and says, “Alright, another time.”

Scotty can date whomever he wants, because he’s funny and charming and a gentleman. He’s the definition of a genius and who doesn’t want to have dinner with someone like him? Jim certainly does, so he shouldn’t spite anyone else for wanting that. He shouldn’t spite Scotty for that.

The fact that he does chews at the back of his mind. They’re just friends, but truth be told, Jim’s so jealous he can’t stand it. He bites his tongue. He has the nerve to stare down Klingons and leap through space and walk into a reactor core, but he still hesitates when it comes to letting Scotty know how much he’d like to be more than friends. 

Dinner isn’t what’s bothering him. What if Scotty invites her back to his quarters after? What if he really likes her? What if it’s love? What if she breaks his heart? 

Jim thinks about this while Scotty is on his date. He thinks about it while trying to fall asleep and all through the next day when all he wants to do is comm Scotty, ask how things went. But he doesn’t, because he doesn’t want to know anymore about what he can’t have.


	5. Out of Your League

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scotty gets turned down, but then there's Jim.

Scotty sighs, swilling his scotch around in the glass. It's not even making him happy right now and that's saying something. He really can't say why he's so hung up on this woman because it's not like a polite refusal has never happened to him before. He's lonely, and getting old. No wonder she turned him down.

There's a chime at his office door but before he can answer it, the captain is striding in. Jim doesn't even chime most days, he probably accidentally did it before he remembered who he was visiting. It makes Scotty smile slightly. Count on Jim to come find him and lounge about in his office with him during what’s turning into a self-pity party.

“Fancy a drink?” Scotty offers.

Jim shakes his head. “One will turn into two and then I’ll never hear the end of it when I don’t finish my paperwork tonight.”

“Ah, what’re you doing bothering an old, cantankerous Scotsman then?” Scotty quips but there’s too much disappointment in himself in that comment for it to be a joke.

“Taking a break,” Jim says. “She tell you why?”

“So you already heard about that,” Scotty scoffs and finishes his drink. “Too good for me, I’d say.”

Jim makes an awkward sound of surprise and when Scotty looks back at him, he’s staring at him, head slightly tilted. He can’t hold that blue gaze and coughs, pretending it’s the burn of whisky that no longer bothers him. 

“Scotty, no offense to Ensign Kelso, but you’re way out of her league,” Jim says kindly.

“Lad, I appreciate--”

“You’re way out of everyone’s league, Scotty,” Jim cuts him off. And then he smiles, and Scotty’s sure he’s wrong about that. There’s one league he’d very much like to be in.


	6. Remarkable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's supposed to be a normal day.

It’s supposed to be a normal day. 

Jim Kirk wakes up and gets ready for his shift as usual. The Enterprise is between destinations which is the realm of boring and paperwork, so he spends most of his time in the chair reading reports. He has lunch with Bones, who likes the peace and quiet, of course. He taps a few more PADDs and gives a few more orders. He chats with the helm and verbally spars with Uhura. Typical, normal, average. Unremarkable.

After his shift ends, Jim ducks into engineering, to get a look at what he’s read about all day before he goes and grabs dinner. He nods at a few crewmen and eventually tracks Scotty down by the sound of his voice through the tubes and coils.

But this is where things start to go pear-shaped, because on a normal day, Jim would stroll up and say something like, “Scotty, my good man, how’s our girl?”

Instead, he stops, hesitating as he watches the man guide an ensign through a repair. Scotty is so good with the crew, his brightness making him personable and well-liked. They respect him, sure, but they also love him. Jim crosses his arms over his chest and waits. Scotty glances up for a second and winks at him, going back to work. 

Jim can’t help but smile, because he’s not sure what’s making his stomach flip. He’s never thought of Scotty as more than his friend and colleague. He’s never pushed for something more or considered that maybe he really likes sharing a drink or finding a refuge from boring travel days in Scotty’s domain, the heart of the ship humming around them. He’s never faced that idea, until this perfectly irregular day, that is. 

 

Scotty is stunning, and Jim Kirk has no idea what took him so long to realize it.


	7. Domesticity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Familiar things aren't boring.

Jim's exhausted, which is ridiculous because he's only just coming home from teaching a class at the academy. Time's catching up with him. He can't quite pull all-nighters like he used to. He drops his jacket over the back of a chair and decides to forget about work, the world, admiralty, students, diplomacy. He can hear sounds from the bedroom and he goes in search of his husband with a little grin.

Scotty’s been back and forth a lot between ships for a few years, but it’s nice that he’s staying home now, staying with Jim. Sometimes he’s the late one, but either way, coming home to each other is never boring. Jim finds him reading on the bed, glasses on his nose, and he leans down to kiss him, which of course turns into crawling into his lap. 

Jim can’t help it, settling his legs around Scotty’s hips and discarding the PADD on the bedspread beside them. This isn’t new and frantic anymore, but it’s hardly boring. Jim enjoys every second of it. Scotty strokes Jim’s sides and murmurs a welcome home, a good to see you too, Lad. 

There’s just the touch and the company. But Jim’s still fascinated. If he feels old, this doesn’t, because he’s still so glad to be right where he is, running his hands over Scotty’s neck and shoulders. He’s never going to lose this. Jim made that promise to himself and his husband a long time ago. He’s never going to forget or take for granted how much he has in the man beneath him right now. 

Jim slowly peels Scotty out of his clothes, so he can show him how much he’ll always appreciate him.


	8. Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scotty's been working hard.

Jim’s a smug person, he knows it’s one of his faults. He tends to gloat and take being proud of himself too far, but it’s within reason that he’s impressed with himself for coaxing these delicious groans out of Scotty. He’s no stranger to making the man moan and on occasion even scream, but this time he’s not even touching him below the waist.

Scotty’s been putting in some long hours in engineering after a bit of a tussle with a hostile species. It’s the high standard that he holds himself to that keeps him there, because Jim’s more than happy to have him in his bed more often. Scotty can’t abandon his silver lady in her time of need though.

So Jim thanks him, kneading the tense and sore muscles in his shoulders with strong, sure fingers. He digs into a knot and Scotty lets out a hiss. He’s been too tired for sex and the sounds coming out of his mouth are making Jim all too aware of the week without. But he promised, no funny business, just a good, old-fashioned backrub before bed. Jim’s not about to push and break that promise tonight, even if he really wants to. Scotty made him swear up and down.

It doesn’t mean that he can’t press a kiss to Scotty’s neck though if it’s quick. Jim’s showing a lot of restraint as it is. He has all manner of things he wants to murmur in Scotty’s ear, like how sexy his back is and how good his skin feels. It’s going to have to wait though, because Jim is determined to be good. He promises himself though, when the work lets up, he’s going to worship Scotty’s shoulders again, good and proper.


	9. It's Not You, It's Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scotty doesn't know what to do with his crush on the captain, so he does what any sensible person would: he avoids him.

Scotty’s never been that great at keeping his crushes to himself. He’s too honest. Even when he hides them behind jokes and teasing, he’s working himself in deeper and deeper until there’s no way out of it. So while he doesn’t admit that he’s in love with Jim Kirk, even to himself, for a long time, it’s impossible to stay so purposely oblivious forever. 

When he does admit it, and only to himself, it’s just all the worse. Jim likes to hang around with the whole crew. He’s a people person. He likes to hang around engineering, close to the heart of his ship and in Scotty’s domain. 

Scotty doesn’t know what to do, because he’s toed the line between joking and flirting too long and he just knows he’s going to slip up, so he does the sensible thing: he avoids Jim.

So maybe it’s more cowardly than sensible.

Scotty just can’t risk it. He knows he’s blowing it anyway, because avoiding the captain is damn difficult on a starship, especially as the chief engineer, but he somehow manages it. At least it’s easy to tell when Jim’s around, because no crewman is likely to leave the man unacknowledged. As soon as he hears an eager ensign greet the captain, Scotty’s out of there like his ass is on fire. There’s always something to fix and somewhere to crawl into in an engine room.

It goes well. Aside from missing Jim, of course. He thinks it’s hard at first, but it’ll get easier, and for a few days it does. The hitch comes when he accidently lingers too long and barely makes his escape, catching Jim’s frown as he hurries up a ladder. Those endless blue eyes look up with what looks like hurt for a moment, but Scotty’s probably imagining it, because when he takes a second glance, waves shortly and stammers something about sending a report on what he’s doing, Jim just looks irritated.

He sends the report through the computer, like a coward, and quietly thinks that he’s the worst friend in the history of the universe. He probably is. No, he definitely is. What kind of friend can’t control the urge to make out with his friend? A lousy one.

Things go pear-shaped when Scotty’s successfully navigated a Jim-free day and is relaxing in his quarters with a double helping of the latest brew from the still that is definitely not in engineering. There’s a chime at his door and he bounces up from his desk, ready to tell them to take it to the lieutenant on shift, it’ll keep until morning.

Only it’s not a nervous looking crewman, it’s the captain.

“Hey, Scotty, sorry it’s late, you got a minute?” Jim asks, speaking quickly, like he’s afraid of being cut off. He’s got his arms crossed over his chest and it pulls his uniform snugly over those broad shoulders.

“Erm, of course,” Scotty replies and shifts a little uncomfortably, staring back in silence.

Jim sighs after a moment. “Can I…?” He makes a sweeping motion at the door.

And Scotty hesitates, because this is really what he’s dreaded, being alone with the captain, especially in his quarters. He still hasn’t figured out what to do about this, hence the continued avoidance.

“Er—”

“Ah, no,” Jim interrupts. “Forget it, I—no, sorry, just forget it.”

He’s going to leave, with that hurt look on his face that Scotty saw from the ladder and oh bloody hell, he’s got it completely wrong. Jim’s not annoyed at all.

“Jim, uh,” Scotty stops him. “Please, it’s…”

“I don’t know what I did,” Jim picks up quietly, when Scotty trails off. “I’d just like to know.”

“You didn’t do a bleeding thing, captain,” Scotty says apologetically. “Come in and have a drink, yeah?”

Jim looks like he’s going to decline for a moment, but it passes. He walks in slowly. Scotty thinks he’s so young and looks it when he’s upset like this. He busies himself for a moment pouring another glass of his engineering concoction and takes the time to steady himself. He hands it to Jim and makes sure to stay at arms’ length. The captain regards it for a second.

“What’s this about?” Jim asks.

“Me,” Scotty says honestly. “Me bein’ a bloody idiot. Nothing to do with you, sir.”

“You just hightail it out of the room when I show up,” Jim says with a mirthless chuckle. He takes a careful taste of the liquor and doesn’t seem to find it too intolerable, so he takes a sizeable swallow. 

Scotty’s an asshole. He’s scum. Jim is friends with everyone and doesn’t need Scotty, but he’s still trying to fix something he hasn’t broken.

“I apologize, captain, but it really isn’t you,” Scotty tells him. He steps in and puts a hand on Jim’s shoulder. Jim’s eyes fall to it and he tosses back the rest of his drink, which has to burn, setting the glass down on Scotty’s desk. 

He’s still tense and Scotty thinks touching him was probably the wrong thing to do. He pulls away, but doesn’t get far. The next thing he knows, Jim’s hands have come up to cup his cheeks and he’s being kissed by Captain James Tiberius Perfect Hair himself. Scotty’s brain hits a brick wall and he can’t believe it. 

Jim pulls away. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Scotty manages, smiling slightly. He’s still not good enough, and he’s got to apologize again because honestly he’s been in the wrong the past couple of weeks, but for now, he just kisses Jim back.


	10. Enthusiasm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scotty’s really enthusiastic when Jim breaks down and lets it slip that maybe he’d like to call having a drink after shift dating.

Scotty’s really enthusiastic when Jim breaks down and lets it slip that maybe he’d like to call having a drink after shift dating (and maybe do a little of what people do when they’re dating). Jim’s got his back pressed up against the desk in his ready room and maybe he should have invited Scotty back to his quarters before they got this far, but he decides it’s too late now, what with how he can’t stop kissing the engineer.

And Jim’s pretty sure that kissing is going to be secondary soon, because he’s not being held in place by just Scotty’s wandering hands. Oh no, there’s definitely some friction going on between his legs and he widens his stance so Scotty can press in further, pants still between them. He groans, the desk biting into his ass, and then he’s pushed onto it so he’s perched on the edge. Easily enough, he wraps his legs around Scotty’s waist and pulls the other man in. God, he’s being climbed and it’s fantastic, what in the world took them so long to get here?

Scotty kicks the chair back and follows him up, Jim’s back hitting the desk and knocking their teeth together. Not even that slows them down. Jim groans, so elated and aroused that the rutting through their uniform pants is going to make him embarrass himself in a minute. 

“Scotty,” he tries, but if it even comes out as a word, he’s not even sure. “Scotty—Scotty—!”

Jim’s insistence becomes a gurgle as Scotty palms him with a perfectly firm touch, going for the catch on his pants blessedly. He drops his head back heavily on the desk and lets out a filthy moan as Scotty gives him a few firm strokes. His hand disappears and Jim waits, trying to think of something to distract himself from how close he is. When he opens his eyes, that plan flies out the window. Scotty’s staring at him intently, a cocky grin on his face. He brings his palm up and licks a stripe across it.

Jim curses everything he knows. 

“Filthy mouth, you got there, captain,” Scotty laughs. But, as he slinks down Jim’s body, Scotty’s the one who really has the filthy mouth.


	11. Unrequited Love Burns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scotty accidentally lets slip that he's in love with Jim.

They're both gaping as soon as Scotty turns around, because he didn't mean to say it, didn't mean to let that cat out of the bag and it’s so much worse that Jim heard it. He's loved Jim for a while now and it eats at him. But he knows that Jim doesn't feel the same. The captain is a friend, but he's a friend to every one of the Enterprise crew.

Scotty presses a hand over his mouth, rubbing his chin nervously. It's too late to take it back and even if he could, he hates lying about how he feels, too honest to a fault. 

It turns out that he doesn’t have to, or rather doesn’t get the chance to. Jim shuffles a little awkwardly, breaking the staring contest they’ve entered into unwittingly. Scotty feels a tightness in his throat, trying to breath around it and finding it difficult. Jim turns around without a word.

Scotty can’t watch him walk out, so instead he stares at the ground. He doesn’t have a choice. He takes the out and promises himself that’s enough of pining. 

It’s the first day of getting over Jim Kirk.


	12. Huh, Montgomery?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Scotty break up and Scotty regrets it.

The first time Jim calls him Montgomery is the last time Scotty stands in his quarters and takes in everything that is Jim Kirk. 

“I guess that’s it,” Jim says bitterly. “Huh, Montgomery?”

“Guess so, captain,” Scotty replies sadly. 

They’re left staring for only a few seconds longer before Jim turns and walks out the door, his stride so clearly full of anger that Scotty hopes no one runs into him, wherever he ends up. It’s almost funny that he’s the one leaving his own quarters, but Scotty has to get his things and he understands that Jim can’t be there for that.

They didn’t fall apart for lack of love. The opposite is certainly true, especially from Jim Kirk. The captain does devotion like no other, fiercely faithful and loyal. Scotty knows he doesn’t deserve that. He’s been waiting for the bottom to fall out for a while now. That’s why he pushes it out himself. It’s supposed to hurt less like this.

Of course, it doesn’t. 

He expects Jim to ignore him for a while, but that’s not the case at all. The captain just goes about things like nothing’s changed, except he’s frigidly cold and detached, determinedly avoiding addressing him by the nickname Jim used to purr like a mantra. It’s Mr. Scott, Lieutenant Commander. And Scotty can hear _Huh, Montgomery?_ when he closes his eyes. It sinks into the cracks in his composure when he has to turn over a report or kick the engines into gear because of an order over the comm.

He misses Jim every second, except he couldn’t hold onto him. But it’s late and he’s dipped deeply into his stash of fine scotch. He twirls the empty tumbler between his fingers.

“You let the best thing that ever happened to ya walk out,” Scotty tells himself, “Huh, Montgomery?”


	13. Stardust Through Your Fingers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's character death in this one. Sorry!

Scotty’s hands tremble as he cups Jim’s cheeks, his thumbs brushing along the soft skin. It hasn’t sunk in yet and he thinks that any moment, those blue eyes are going to blink open, flickering with light and mischief. He leans over closer and drags Jim’s body into his arms. 

It’s the lax way that Jim just hangs there that forces a sob out of Scotty’s throat. There hasn’t been a day that Scotty’s known him that Jim isn’t in constant motion, like something inside of him vibrates on a whole other frequency. Or it used to. Scotty can’t feel that brightness anymore. 

This is why you don’t try to hold onto starlight.

His hands stroke through Jim’s hair, not ready to let go, even if all he’s holding is a shadow. He’s going to live in it for the rest of his life anyway, so he might as well. Scotty chokes on a sob that sounds like Jim’s name and tries to hide it in Jim’s shoulder. His eyes squeeze shut, his arms tighten their hold. He breathes in deeply.

Jim’s skin still smells like his soap.


	14. Make It Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim draws things out.

Jim's still hovering over him, covered in sweat and still grinning. Scotty wants to keep touching him but his arms feel so boneless. Jim grinds in with languid strokes and draws another high whine out of Scotty.

He’s already come twice and his brain is misfiring all over the place because of this bloody beautiful menace of a captain. They rarely get lazy moments where time can just let them breathe, not on an active starship, so Jim’s definitely planned this. Even when they don’t have the time, he gives taking Scotty apart at the seams his best shot. Scotty hates to be so poetic about it, but Jim approaches sex like it’s an art.

Or maybe it’s just proof that he’s completely wrecked and Jim is still moving his goddamn hips, rolling his cock into Scotty more than actually thrusting. 

“Jim--Jim, what’s…” Scotty mumbles. “What’s wrong?”

“What?” Jim asks and runs his fingers through the rapidly cooling come that’s pooled on Scotty’s stomach. God, he’s smearing it around like the asshole that he is.

“S-stop that!” Scotty groans. “Jim. Jim, I don’t know how much more… you haven’t--”

“Shh,” Jim shushes him. “You’re okay, I’ve got you, Scotty.”

That’s what he’s afraid of. Jim’s got him all tied up in this and he’s lost. He’s so sensitive after being at the center of Jim’s attention for so long. Scotty’s eyes drift shut and he moans along with the slide of Jim’s movements, trying to just breathe normally.

“Hey,” Jim says to get his attention back. Well, on what he’s saying and not what he’s doing with his dick. Scotty obliges him with narrowed eyes. “I just wanted it to last, just a little longer, Scotty, just a little longer.”


	15. Pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim admires Scotty's hands.

“What’re you doing?” Scotty mumbles, trying to pull his hand away. 

Jim snorts at the grumpy tone. He knows the engineer is sleepy, but sometimes he can’t help but admire the little things about Scotty. Jim’s fingers ghost across the back of Scotty’s hand again lightly. 

“Stop it,” Scotty groans.

“Just appreciating how pretty your hands are, you grumpy asshole,” Jim chuckles. He stops the seemingly-annoying stroking and slips his fingers through Scotty’s. These hands take care of him so well. They’re solid and strong with an amazing deft dexterity to each finger.

“I’m not awake enough for you, Jim,” Scotty sighs but cracks his eyes open to peer at him with an adorable sleep-laden glare. 

“Then go back to sleep,” Jim teases. He brings Scotty’s hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to each finger. By the time he’s finished, Scotty is looking at him with a little bit more alertness and suspicion. Jim honestly doesn’t mean anything by it (this time), so he just smiles back. 

“Pretty?” Scotty prompts him.

Jim laughs. “Yeah, I called ‘em pretty. You gonna argue with me, Mr. Scott?”

“Annoyin’ bastard,” Scotty grumbles and tugs Jim toward him with their joined hands. “I’ll show you just how bloody pretty they are.”


	16. Kissing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's not like they were dating, or even sleeping together. It's just that once in a while Kirk would pin Scotty against a wall and kiss the life out of him." (Ruth's prompt)

The funny thing is, Scotty started it.

If he had known what it would lead to, he might have thought better of grabbing the front of Jim’s shirt, pulling him forward and pressing their lips together that first time. It opened up this completely ridiculous thing between them. Because it’s not a relationship. Scotty’s not going to call it that when he, firstly, doesn’t get off from it, (and actually just gets frustrated because) secondly, Jim Kirk doesn’t want to talk about it.

He just wants to return the favor, push Scotty up against the nearest solid surface, and only then, backed up against the wall, kiss him completely senseless. How he determines he wants it and when is a mystery. There’s no rhyme or reason, sometimes it’s part of a normal, random day while others it’s after a rough away mission.

Scotty doesn’t tell him to stop. Hell, he instigated it, though it is the only kiss he’s responsible for. That first kiss shook something loose in Jim Kirk, but he’s still holding onto it for some reason. Whatever his hangups, Scotty is resigned to taking what he can get. Which isn’t half bad, even if it is… unconventional.

Because Jim Kirk is a good kisser and Scotty can appreciate someone who goes that extra mile to make you feel like time stops when he kisses you. He likes kissing Jim with that air of desperation between them. Maybe they’ll resolve it someday, but in the meantime, when Scotty sees the captain coming, he puts down his tools and licks his lips.


	17. Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bathtub sex.

Jim's having too much fun to stop, even if they're making a mess and getting water everywhere. Scotty lets out a cry that's positively delicious and Jim curls his fingers harder into his hair. Warm water pelts down on them from the showerhead. The tub is too small for this, but with enough desperation Jim has always been able to make anything work. As long as they don't drown, which is unlikely considering how much water they're splashing out, they won't be going down in the history book of awkward starship deaths.

They slide a little when Jim loses his leverage in the slippery tub, but gravity just rocks Scotty down into his lap and it's still a good, hard push into him. His hands scramble for the sides of the tub as he gasps. God, Jim can't get used to this. He's just gotten Scotty going and it's an exquisite sight to see. He pulls Scotty's head back against his shoulder and thrusts up into that welcoming heat, each snap of his hips tearing perfect, wrecked sounds out of the engineer's mouth. Scotty just hangs on. Jim wishes he could give him more, but he can't do much in this position, Scotty in his lap, back to chest. They should move this to bed, so Jim can really hold him down and fuck him, but he's not ready to give this up. He bites Scotty's neck to hear him whine and leave a mark that's going to be hard to cover with his uniform.

"Come on, baby, just like that," Jim murmurs to him. 

"Cocky... bastard, you," Scotty huffs. His voice is rough from use and it sounds ever so sweet to Jim.

"You love it," Jim tells him. He's going for broke, gonna change that tune before he's done. "What do you want, Scotty? Tell me what you want."

"God, Jim," Scotty moans.

"I can't help you with that," Jim quips, starting to laugh. He can't control the sound once he starts, just so hopelessly caught in how blissful it feels when Scotty sinks down around him. Jim pushes up to meet him, wanting so much to just be fully sheathed in his tight ass but confined by the small tub.

"Just want you to stop your guffawing," Scotty says, his voice almost a growl. 

Jim lets out a throaty bark of laughter, his head falling back to thump against the wall of the bath. He blinks water out of his eyes and sighs. Scotty dissolves back into wordless moans. A cramp is starting to get annoying in Jim's leg and he's going to have to stop soon, but it's just so good. He presses a kiss to Scotty's wet hair and wraps his arms completely around him, stilling their frantic movement. 

"Jim, what're--"

"Computer, water off," Jim orders, mouthing along Scotty's jaw with the barest hint of teeth. "Next time, Scotty, next time."

"What are you on about?" Scotty demands. He gets so grumpy when he's hard and aching and Jim makes him wait. It makes the captain chuckle fondly and force Scotty to crane his next until they can exchange a filthy kiss.

"I'll make you beg next time, let's take this to bed," Jim purrs, and extricates them from the tub.


	18. Remembering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But even if it hadn't been his birthday, Jim would have remembered to the exact minute when he realized he was in love with Montgomery Scott.

Jim really would remember anyway, his memory has always been rather good, but aside from this revelation being rather life-altering, (actually, everything mostly stayed the same, just with more sex, but somehow it's all different anyway) he'd never had a birthday that he actually cared to recall. Sure, when he got to the academy and weaseled his way under Bones' skin, the doctor made sure his birthdays weren't as terrible as they used to be. He still didn't usually care to remember them, mostly because the amount of drinking the two of them did verged on insanity. 

But even if it hadn't been his birthday, Jim would have remembered to the exact minute when he realized he was in love with Montgomery Scott. 

Jim supposes that it does make it easier to remember, but it’s hard to forget anyway. He and Scotty fell in love a little slowly. It took them months to catch on to being more than friends. Jim feels a little guilty when he thinks about why he even started thinking about that, about how Scotty berated him for walking into the reactor and dying. 

“It shoulda been me, lad,” Scotty had said. Since then, Jim knew that he would never let that happen, even if he hadn’t quite committed to being head-over-heels. (So maybe some of the time it took to fall in love was actually his stupid denial. Jim admits that sometimes, when he gets caught off guard.)

But once he stopped with that particular stubborn trend, when he looked at Scotty and felt his stomach clench and his mouth go dry, that moment sticks with him more than all his regrets.

“I’m glad, captain,” Scotty had said, clapping him on the back and letting his hand linger. Jim’s cocky grin slipped and he opened his mouth to head off the sad proclamation that was surely coming. Scotty continued anyway. “I’m glad you’re a damn slippery bastard, Jim. Mighty glad you’re here today, sir.”

His eyes did it, sparkling with warmth from more than the scotch he’d brought to the party. Jim always thinks of that look as his undoing. They’re the reason, he poetically thinks, that his heart fluttered in that moment and he knew, without a single doubt, that he was in love with Scotty. 

And Jim holds onto that, even if Scotty still looks at him like that all the time. It’s never any less precious, because looking into Scotty’s eyes and knowing that he’s glad Jim’s alive? That’s everything.


	19. Repairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's shocked to learn about Scotty's love life.

Jim has a circuit probe pressed deep into a console, learning how to dismantle it under Scotty’s careful tutelage, avoiding more pressing duties and unwinding. He definitely should be reading reports, but sometimes he just needs a few little tasks to take his mind off being the big man in charge. It’s more productive than older habits, like bar brawls, and more accessible than, say, riding around on a hoverbike. And maybe he gets to spend a little more time with his chief engineer, always a plus.

His crush on Scotty is starting to get a little bit out of hand, but Jim is determined not to push it. Keeping a secret isn’t exactly new. He doesn’t want to risk the easy companionship that he has with his chief engineer, not when he’s certain the man isn’t interested.

Scotty props his feet up on the tool case, off duty technically but indulging Jim. “You want to make sure they’re all out, or shock yourself hard enough to rattle your teeth, Captain.”

“Excuse me, sirs?” they’re interrupted, before Jim can say that he knows not to electrocute himself, thanks.

“Helen, ah, what can we do ya for?” Scotty chirps, grinning at the ensign. She’s in science blues, so what she’s doing in engineering has Jim’s ears perking up. Ensign Reynolds, astrophysics, he identifies her. 

“I don’t mean to interrupt,” she says. “We just wanted to get you our projections. For the upgrades.”

Jim spares her a glance because her tone and vagueness is making him suspicious. Ensign Reynolds hands Scotty a PADD, standing close to him, primly tucking her hands behind her back. Her eyes meet Jim’s and she glances down.

“Captain,” she says and Jim is pretty sure she’s nervous. He thinks that it’s odd, most of the crew over their jitters around him. 

“Ensign,” Jim nods at her.

“Permission to be dismissed?” Ensign Reynolds asks.

“Oh, right,” Scotty says. “Of course, Ensign.”

She makes a quick, stiff retreat and Jim isn’t quite sure what’s bothering him about it, just that something is off. He removes the circuit probe and goes for a pair of clamps. Scotty is still reading whatever is on the PADD, brow furrowed in concentration. Jim hesitates for a moment, fairly certain the next step is removing the coupling, but he doesn’t receive the usual cue. 

In retrospect, checking would have been a good idea, because the next thing he knows, he’s yelping and yanking back from the sparks that fly, sudden pain shooting up his arm. 

Oh, and Scotty is cursing at him as only a Scotsman can, which means that Jim is too dazed to actually catch more than a word or two. Probably for the best. Scotty is holding him upright, mostly because there’s not a lot of space to maneuver without Jim’s cooperation. Once he gets his head back a little, Jim manages to sit down while Scotty rubs his arm with both hands from wrist to elbow and grumbles. 

“Doubt you did any permanent damage, lad, but I should call Dr. Mccoy on the chance that I don’t he’ll rip me a new one,” he tells Jim, anger abating. “I’m sorry, shouldn’t ‘ave let myself get distracted.”

“Seemed important,” Jim replies. “What did Ensign Reynolds have to say about your upgrades?”

Surprisingly, Scotty turns sheepish and blushes. Jim flexes his fingers gingerly and they seem fine, but his chief engineer looks like he accidentally kicked Jim’s puppy. 

“Had a nice time last night, doesn’t want it to be a ‘regular occurrence’ though,” Scotty says with an awkward cough. “But that’s naught to do with you giving yourself a good jolt, lad. Was my fault.”

“A good time last night?” Jim asks, swallowing the nausea that has nothing to do with shocking himself. 

“I’m sorry, Captain, it’s completely unprofessional,” Scotty stammers. 

“It was an accident,” Jim says. “Just an accident, Scotty. I’m fine, look.” He wiggles his hand around. “No harm done.”

Of course, his hand could never hurt as much as the jealousy he’s trying to clamp down on before he says too much. This isn’t how a starship captain is supposed to feel about one of his subordinates and he manages to guilt himself back down from those desires. Scotty looks skeptical, but Jim just tosses him a smile that he hopes doesn’t look as forced as it feels. He moves to stand up. 

“Ah, yes, sir,” Scotty murmurs, staring at Jim a little longer with a curious look. The scrutiny makes Jim squirm and he’s not sure he’ll keep from embarrassing himself further if it doesn’t stop soon. Thankfully, Scotty glances away. “Let’s get you checked out, Jim.”


	20. Tease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's being a tease, but not on purpose.

Jim doesn’t mean to tease. He doesn’t have a mean streak, especially when it comes to this thing between him and Scotty (he’s pretty sure they’ve got some feelings tangled up in the casual sex, but he’s not going to bring it up). Scotty just makes it entirely too easy. This thing (friends with benefits? sex and cuddle buddies? two workaholics who really care about each other?) came about because Jim could read Scotty like a book. That only gets easier when he sees the other man naked.

It’s just too tempting to see if he can shatter Scotty’s usual control.

Jim can break it by captaining like a reckless son of a bitch (he gets that a lot), which comes naturally to him, but when they’re in the bedroom, he actually has to try. It’s probably where the feelings are coming from, the fact that he’s got something to work on and towards, figuring everything out about Scotty.

Tonight is another experiment. He wants to see what happens when Scotty’s stuck on the edge of pleasure, when Jim isn’t rushing them both to frantic orgasms. Maybe Scotty keeps his head because Jim loses his. But he shouldn’t always have to hold out to make sure they don’t do anything stupid (like mention feelings).

So Jim twists his wrist and gives Scotty’s flushed cock a firm, fluid stroke, his palm curling against the sensitive head for as much contact as he can give him. 

“Feels good, doesn’t it, Scotty?” Jim murmurs. 

“What are you playing at, you ruddy bastard?” Scotty groans. His fingers are squeezing Jim’s biceps hard enough that he’s probably going to have at least a couple bruises.

Jim chuckles and drags his hand away, for the second time since he tackled the engineer into bed. The reaction he gets is beautiful. Scotty’s eyes snap open and he lets out the most frustrated growl Jim’s ever heard. 

“You bloody--damn you, Jim!” he curses, grumpy and snarling. “Fitting to drive me insane, I don’t know why I put up with you at all!”

“Because you love me,” Jim jokes, the slip sneaking out before he can stop himself. Scotty’s body is shaking beside him, both of them on their sides, facing each other, ankles hooked together. Jim winces and meets Scotty’s eyes, expecting to be told no, sorry, it’s not like that.

“I might,” Scotty says softly, reaching up to lay a hand on Jim’s cheek. “Just a little. If you...if you stop with all the teasing, Jim, and get on with it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm gonna cut this off at 20, even though I have a bunch more prompts from Ruth to get through. I'll start a new one as I get through them. Thanks for reading!


End file.
